Visible index cabinet



Dec. 20, R A. G 1,891,381

VISIBLE INDEX CABINET Filed Oct. 25. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORBahama! lfuz'lany,

mfg; m1.

HIS ATTORNEYS Dec. 20, 1932. 1,891,381

VIS IBLE INDEX CABINET Filgd Oct. 23. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TORflaland fl. Fatima, B Y

11 I 6&4. v QM H18 ATTORNEXS Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ROLAND A. FURLONG, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YGRK, ASSIGNOR TO THEYAWMAII' &

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROCI-I NEW YORK nsrnn, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIONOF VISIBLE innnx CABINET Application filed October 23, 1930. Serial No.490,591.

The present invention relates broadly to closures for cabinets and thelike and embodies, more specifically, an improved springmounted door forcabinets, such door normally being maintained in its closed position bythe yielding pressure of a spring, which pressure is overcome by aninitial movement of the door in its ownlplane prior to the actualopening thereof.

In cabinets containing visible indexes and the like, as well as othercabinets of like character, it is desirable to design the structurethereof in such manner that they may be manufactured relativelyinexpensively, at the same time being sufficiently rugged inconstruction to withstand the severe usage to which they are generallyput without requiring an undue amount of repair. In addition to thefactors enumerated above, it is quite essential that these structures beeasily manipulated and where, as in the present invention, a closure isprovided for such cabinets, it is also desirable that such closure maybe eifectively maintained in either open or closed position.

With the foregoing factors in view, the present invention has beendesigned to afford a closure for cabinets and the like, such closurebeing effectively maintained in a.

closed position and being readily manipu- I lated into either an open ora closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure whichautomatically secures itself in a closed position and is held thereinwithout requiring a positive manipulation, such as the operation of alatch, etc.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure of the abovecharacter which is readily mounted and dismounted from the structurewith which it cooperates.

A further object of the invention is to protion is described in greaterdetail in connection with the wherein: V

Figure 1 is a View in front elevation,show ing a cabinet provided with aclosure constructed in accordance with the present invention. V

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken on line 22 of Figure 1, and lookingin the direction of the arrowsy H J Figure 3 is a view insection,.similar to accompanying drawings,

Figure 2, but showing the closure in full'side elevation, such closurehaving been shifted to a position in which it disengages the means whichnormally maintains the same closed. Figure 4 is a segmental view, similar; to Figure 3,'showing the closure after it has been moved to its openposition."

Figure 5 is a view in section, taken on line 55 of Figure 2, and lookingin the direction of the arrows. o s v Figure 6 is a view, similar toFigure 2,

. showing a modified form of the invention.

Figure 7 is a view in section, taken on line 77 of Figure 6, and lookingin the direction of the arrows. V

Figure 8 is a view in section, similar to Figure 3, showing the modifiedconstruction.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure a, showing the modifiedconstruction.

Figure 10 is a View in sectiomtake'n on line 10-10 of Figure 6, andlooking in the direction of the arrows. g I g Referring to the abovedrawings, a cabinet is shown at a, the cabinet having a front frame aand a longitudinal sillmember o In the preferred construction, thecabinet andassociated elements are formed of metal but the specificmaterial used, of course, forms no part of the present invention.

The cabinet may be utilized in any desired fashion, the cabinet shownherein being provided with a plurality of trays I) having hand pulls bwhich are received within a closure 0. The upper sill of the front framea is provided with a plate a formed with a downwardly extending detentor flange a The function of the foregoing detent will appear moreparticularly as the invention is described hereinafter.

The closure or door 0, referred to above, is preferably formed withrearwardly extending sides c which may terminate in rolled extensions 0The rolled extension 011 the upper side of the closure engages againstthe detent a and cams the door downwardly in its own plane to permit'theupper side of the door to ride under the edge of the detent. Whenthe'door is not in its fully closed position, as shown in Figure 3, itis forced upwardly by a spring or springs (Z which are secured at d tothe lower wall of the cabinet and are provided, at their forward endswith rollers (Z as shown in Figure 5, the springs preferably havingbifurcations (Z between which the rollers 6Z2 are journaled. Apertures aare formed in the upper surface of the sill a and permit the rollers (Zto extend therethrough. In this manner, the rollers engage the loweredge of the'door 0 and force the same upwardly in order that the detenta may normally prevent the opening of the door.

A suitable lock 6 is mounted in the sill a and designed to prevent, whenlocked, the downward movement of the door 0. This condition isillustrated in Figure 2, wherein the lock is shown as having beenmanipulated to prevent the opening ofthe door.

As described above, the hand pulls b are received within the door 0 andlie approximately in themedian plane thereof. Upon 45 either side ofthis plane, finger recesses or wells 0 are provided. These wells may beformed by flanged ferrules or the like, as shown in Figure 2 and may besuitablysecured to the door upon opposite sides of the hand pulls b. Toopen the door, the lock 6 is released and a finger or fingers areinserted in the finger wells 0 The door is then shifteddownwardly in itsown plane until the upper edge is free of the detent a and the door isthen pulled outwardly to the position shown in Figure 4.

In order that the door may be conveniently and securely mounted toprovide for such motion, the inner sides of the frame a, adjacent thedoor, are formed with cut away portions a Pintles 0 are mounted withinthe rolled portion 0 at the lower side of the door and extend outwardlyto engage the cut away portions a To facilitate the removal of the ofthe carriage.

door, the lower rolled portion is cut away at 0 and the pintles areformed with shoulders which may be engaged by the finger nail or othersuitable device in order that the pintles may be shifted axially towardthe median plane of the door. In this manner, the pintles are withdrawnfrom engagement with the cut away portions a and the door may be readilyremoved. A spring 0 is preferably carried within the bottom bead andserves normally to urge the pintles outwardly into engaging positlonwith respect to the cut away portions a. The bead within which thepintles are received preferably engages the same with sufficientfriction to prevent the loss thereof when the door is removed.

vVhile the invention has been described with specific reference to theform of cabinet shown herein, it will be readily apparent that the broadprinciples thereofmaybe applied to cabinets and other devices of varioustypes. By means of the foregoing structure, the cabinet door may bereadily moved to and from open and closed positions. The structure iseminently well suited for rugged service and is readily manufactured andassembled.

As an illustration of a modified construction, reference is made toFigures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, wherein the cabinet is provided with abottom plate 7 spaced below the superposed shelves f and adapted toreceive, in such space, a carriage g which slides in a fore and aftdirection in the cabinet. This carriage is preferably formed with sidesg to resemble a tray, ears g being struck up from the sides to serve asstops to limit the movement The cabinet is preferably formed withsuitable shoulders f to engage the. stops and thus limit movement of thecarrier in an obvious fashion.

Upon the forward side of the carriage a horizontal flange g is formed,this flange receiving one member 9 of a hinge, the mating member 9thereof being carried within the door of the cabinet. Within thebottomof the carriage spaced apertures g are formed, rollers g beingreceived in these apertures to engage the bottom 7 of the cabinet andmaintain the carriage in spaced relationship to the bottom. Spring armsg have turned-over portions 9 to journal the rollers and offset portions9 which are adapted to be engaged by an upset flange g on the bottom ofthe carriage to secure such arms thereto. The rearwardly extendingportions g of the arms serve as a bearing member to tension the,

springs sufficiently. It will thus be seen that the carria e and doorare normall maintamed n the position shown 1n Figure 6.

When the door is moved downwardly, the

spring arms 9 are tensioned, as clearly shown in Figure 8. The carriageis subsequently elevated to the position shown in Figure 9 by thesprings g to facilitate the movement of the carriage and door within thecabinet.

As shown in Figures? and 10,a U-shaped strip k may be mounted within thecabinet and formed with grooves it within which the ears g engage. Theshoulder f may be formed by inserting any solid piece of metal or otherequivalent means within the grooves to limit movement of the carriagetherein. It will thus be seen that the carriage and door are readilymoved to and from a retracted position, the rollers engaging the bottomof the cabinet and facilitating such movement.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defind in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a cabinet carrying a plurality of visible indextrays and having an opening, the trays having a plurality of projectingportions within the opening in the median plane thereof, a closure,means to mount the closure in the opening, said closure being formedwith sides telescoping with the projecting portions, and finger wells inthe closure upon opposite sides of the median plane thereof.

2. In combination with a cabinet for visible indexes having an openingand a closure therefor, means to mount the closure in the opening withprovision for movement thereof in the plane of the opening, a platecarried by the cabinet at one side of the opening therein, a flange onthe plate projecting into the opening, an aperture in the cabinet on theopposite side of the opening from the flange,

a leaf spring secured to the cabinet, and a roller on the springprojecting through the aper ture and engaging the closure to urge thelatter normally against the plate.

3. In combination with a cabinet for visible indexes having an openingand a closure therefor, means to mount the closure in the opening withprovision for movement thereof in the plane of the opening, a platecarried by the cabinet at one side of the opening therein, a flange onthe plate projecting into the opening, a leaf spring secured to thecabinet, and a roller on the spring engaging the closure to urge thelatter normally against the plate.

4. In a cabinet for visible indexes having an opening, a door mountedvertically within the opening with provision for movement vertically inits own plane, a plate carried by the cabinet at the upper edge of theopening, a flange on the plate projecting into the opening, a springsecured to the cabinet and engaging the door to urge it normally againstthe plate, and a rolled bead at one edge of the door adjacent the plateto engage the flange when the door is closed and cam the door away fromthe flange against the spring so that the door may ride over the flange.

5. In a cabinet for visible indexes having an opening, a door mountedvertically within

